President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday hinted at the need for legislative changes following the assassination of Prosecutor General Hesham Barakat Monday.
“The hands of justice are shackled by laws that need to be changed in order to cope with developments taking place, in a way that delivers effective justice as fast as possible,” the president said while attending the funeral of Barakat who was killed in a booby-trapped car bombing near his residence.
Some government opponents have speculated that Barakat's assassination would open the door for expanding what they see as the government’s crackdown on activists from all walks of life since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
“The offering of condolences should be through progression, controlling terrorism and delivering effective rulings as fast as possible,” the president added during the funeral aired by satellite al-Assema TV, and attended by several state dignitaries, most notably Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and Defense Minister Sedqy Sobhy.
Thousands of activists have been sentenced to jail over charges related to the breaking of laws on the regulation of protests introduced following Morsi’s overthrow, as well as terrorism-related charges. Egypt has witnessed continuous fatal attacks against army and police forces which authorities blamed on Morsi’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
The attacks have extended to judges, lately represented in Barakat, as Morsi backers' animosity heated against the judiciary which has sentenced the former leader to pending death and life sentences, along with thousands of other Brotherhood leaders and loyalists.
The pro-Islamic State, Sinai-based militia, Sinai Province, recently claimed responsibility for the killing of three judges in Sinai last month.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
